Angry
by Poke-lover
Summary: When the CMC were foals, Scootaloo made a promise to stay in Ponyville when the three grew up. When she was unable to keep that promise, due to a perfect job opportunity and a personal problem, Applebloom, owner of a new bar, feels betrayed and angry. That anger finally explodes when Scootaloo returns to Ponyville for the Summer Festival.
1. Chapter 1: Angry Bar

The cold darkness of a Ponyville night floated gently against the window, and was only stopped by the warm glow of the hissing fire. The heat radiated from a brick fireplace in the center of the room that kept its occupants feeling safe and secure enough to have a drink or two...or three. The wood chamber was almost empty, except for the two mares at the bar.

The older mare was a bright orange with a blonde mane and tail, both were braided in a similar fashion with rope. A well worn, dirty stetson hat was seated on her head. The younger mare was a bright yellow, like butter, with a short red mane. She wore a dirty stained apron and was wiping the hardwood counter with a wet cleaning rag as she listened to the other talk about this and that about the farm life with her ever louder voice.  
Applebloom sighed happily, and just had to stop cleaning for a moment to get absorbed in the life she had left behind to pursue what she truly wanted to do with her life. But leaving the farm, where she had grown up in the loving care of her family, she missed all the good times and nostalgia that she had, and a part of her just wanted to return to the apple farm and do what she did before. The here and now, though, did have its share of good times, and Applebloom loved the hard work that she had with making this place a reality. She was truly happy here.  
"...and th'n that darn lizard bit Big Mac in the tail an' he just took off a runnin' with the plow still attached to 'im." Applejack laughed with no care in the world while adding motions to her words in the story. "On down the road he went, draggin' that darn plow behind him." She let out a belly laugh that echoed through the empty room. Bloom giggled more at her sister's embarrassing antics than her story. She let her sister calm down, as the laughter died down to short bursts of giggles, that too ended shortly. "Ya should've been there, Applebloom. It was really a sight ta see, and a funny one at that."  
"Yeah." Applebloom's stomach sank as she went back to cleaning off the bar. She should've been there.  
"Okay, Bloom. What's wrong? And don't ya say nothin' 'cause Ah know it ain't nothin'. Ya been in the dumps for a while now." When Applejack used that tone of voice, nopony could say no.  
"Is it really that obvious?" She picked up an empty whiskey bottle that a possibly drunk patron had left behind and set it in a bucket with the other glass bottles. With her back turned, Bloom's face fell.  
"Element of Honesty, remember?" A little bit of pride sounded from Applejack. Arrogant pride that Bloom couldn't call on her own.  
"Oh, how could I forget?" Bloom turned and smirked at her sister, who only shrugged as if she had no idea what Bloom was talking about, while returning the same look. Bloom couldn't help but give a little giggle at the fun the pair had with each other all the time in the same fashion.  
"I guess I'm just bummed out over not being able to help with the farm now that I have this place to run. It's hard to get away from what you have been doing since you could stand and walk. I guess I sorta miss it every once in a while."  
Applejack thankfully only politely listened in silence until Bloom finished talking. When Bloom was done, the young mare turned her back to her older sister once again and began carefully setting the shot glasses in a bucket. The glasses she placed in clanked loudly against others. It was the only sound that she could hear.  
Then, Applejack started giggling. Just like before. She started giggling, and then started to laugh. Her belly laugh roared unopposed, and Bloom could feel her ears fold on top of her head. Her sister was laughing at her fears. Bloom dropped the shot glass she was holding, which clanked loudly against the bucket, and she whirled on her feet to glare at her sister. "What's so funny!?" She defended herself.

Applejack stopped her howling quickly, looking at her sister with a mix of confusion and a bit of nervousness. "Ah'm sorry Ah laughed, but ya sounded just like me when Ah was a foal. Wandering off from the little farm to the big city." She tried to hide a little giggle. "It just brings back memories."  
"Sugarcube, Ah know what you're goin' through, and Ah understand. You're doin' somethin' ya never did before, and it don't feel right for ya, yet. But Ah promise ya, it will get easier. Ya done a nice, fine job ta this place, Ah'm very proud of ya."  
Bloom sighed and slumped down on a stool, facing Applejack across the counter. "Thank you, Applejack. But, how would you know? You were only in Manehatten for a week. It's been a year for me here, and I still miss the farm that's right up the road."

Before Applejack could answer, the door to the bar opened up, and Bloom could feel some of the heat leave the room. "We'll talk about this later." Applejack finished.  
That was for the best. Bloom turned to greet whoever it was, only to freeze with the words in her mouth at the sight of the pony. A snow white pelt, candy colored mane, and the brightest green eyes she had ever seen. Yep, it was Sweetie Belle. Miss Drama Queen Jr. of the drama club. "What're you doing out this late, Miss Belle?"  
"Good evenin', Sweetie Belle." Applejack greeted the unicorn mare with a friendly voice that hid the evil glare that she gave Bloom, and told her that this was something else that they were going to discuss when the time was right.  
Sweetie Belle's gait was sloppy, much different than her usual walk of absolute pride above all else. The unicorn's head was hung limp on her neck, flopping with her movements. She plopped down on a bar stool next to Applejack weakly. "An apple martini with cherries, please." Sweetie spoke with little energy as she flicked a few bits onto the counter.  
Now where was this mare coming from again? To talk about how it was better to be a lady with class than it was to be a savage with no manners, and yet here she was acting as if she were just walking out of a rodeo, minus the cuts and bruises.

Bloom annoyedly filled out the request, violently grabbing the necessary ingredients behind her from the shelf adorned with massive amounts of alcohol. The vodka, schnapps, a little bit of Sweet Apple Acre's apple juice was poured into a shake cup. As Bloom shook the drink, Sweetie's head never once rose above the neckline. She poured the ingredients into the martini glass and a few cherries were plopped right on top. A custom drink Sweetie asked for all the time when she came into the bar, but never in this mood. Bloom sat the drink on the counter in front of Sweetie and pocketed the bits into her apron. "Here ya go." It wasn't friendly, it was just to tell her.  
When Sweetie gave no answer, not even a little thank you, Bloom only shook her head and sighed before she cleaned up the rest of the shot glasses. The one she had dropped into the bucket had broken; just her luck. She marched off into the back to finish doing the dishes in peace, and to cool off her temper.

The small room was mostly used for storage. All the cleaners and soaps were stored here, thus it reeked of bleach. It was much colder here than in the main room with the fire. Setting the heavy bucket into the sink, Bloom carefully picked out the glass shards and unceremoniously dumped them into the waste basket.  
Who did Sweetie Belle think she was, coming into her bar and acting like a stick in the mud? She shouldn't get so mad about it, but it was hard not to. After having so many adventures, it was strange to go their separate paths. It was heart-breaking. It was best not to think about it for long and to just get these glasses cleaned for tomorrow.

The apple martini was plain. Applebloom hadn't put much effort into making it, Sweetie could tell. Her connoisseurship was the best of Ponyville, this was vile trash to her tastebuds. But it was alcohol, and alcohol was what she needed at the moment. She wasn't a heavy drinker, not by any means, but the drinking helped her cope with things when they got too much to handle herself. Taking another dainty sip, Sweetie set the glass down on the counter.  
"Good evening, Applejack." She never looked at the mare, clinging to her dignity. But this was Applejack, who could care less about such things. "What a darn tootin' day as you may say." Sweetie rolled her eyes at the mocking she did.  
"Well, when ya say it like that, it almost sounds dumb. Forgive my words, Sweetie, but Ah'm used to ya using your fancy words." Applejack was as polite as she could obviously be when not acting so countrified, but even that was fine. It was the best she could do. Above all, was a good friend.

Sweetie huffed a bit and sipped her drink. "I guess you're right. It left a bad taste in my mouth, talking like that. No offence to you, of course."  
Applejack just shooed the issue with a hand. "No harm done."  
A steady moment of silence came up, as Sweetie, and surely Applejack, had no idea what to say to the other. They just listened to the sounds of Applebloom washing her dishes. The glasses were clinging together as always, she always did put as much effort into her labor as she could. Even if it was a little annoying, but that was how she worked, and no embitterment should be thought up as a result.

"So, did ya hear about Scoots?" Applejack asked.  
"No, what?" Interest was instantly piqued, problems went out the window. Sweetie hadn't seen Scootaloo since she moved away to Cloudsdale after picking up a job as a racing instructor there. It has been a year. Felt like five with how time would only move on its own accord. What had Applejack found out about the pegasus before she had? Both she and Applebloom got handwritten letters from Scoots, she couldn't remember anything important from the last one she had sent.  
"Well, Ah don't wanna spoil a surprise if it is one." The orange mare rubbed her chin in mock thought. "Naw, it ain't no secret. Scoot's gonna come down ta Ponyville fer the festival."  
Sweetie sprung up from her drink, literally, right onto her feet from her stool. Jumping into Applejack's face with excitement, almost knocking Applejack out of her seat. She had never felt such intense discomposure, but she absolutely couldn't help but feel that way. She missed Scootaloo a lot. "Really? Like, really, really?"  
"Woh there, Sugarcube. Calm down now. She ain't moving back, last I heard. It was somethin' 'bout a charity race of some sorts, Ah'm not quite sure of the details. Are ya sure ya didn't know about it?"  
Sweetie shook her head frantically. "No, nothing. I know I would've remembered something like that."  
Applejack snapped her fingers and clicked her tongue in what seemed to be aggravation. "Gosh, darn it. I must've spoiled some sort of surprise Scoots had planned."  
"Well, that's okay. I'll pretend it was a surprise when she comes around. I'll even write it in my little notebook with the golden pencil."  
"Yeah, ya do that...I guess."  
She couldn't believe it. Scootaloo, after so long. It would be like the old days of crusading and going off to be nuisances, and having innocent fun while doing it. It was that time that Sweetie missed the most, as she never could feel that free with expectations now. Expectations from her sister, from other ponies in the Ponyville, and even beyond. It would be great to see the pegasus, who unleashed her freedom when she had the time to do it.

Sweetie sat back down on her stool and stared at the quarter finished martini. This was not a happy time though. She wanted it to be now from her initial plan. The ungrateful memory of why she was here returned, and her head drooped down again. Blasted problems rearing their hydra-like bodies wherever they pleased. In a swift movement, unladylike at all, Sweetie grabbed the drink and downed the rest. The alcohol burned as it went down, but she believed she took it well.  
"Now hold your horses there, what's got ya so moody all of a sudden? I thought ya would like ta see Scoot's again." Applejack's hand laid supportively on Sweetie's shoulder.  
"I do. I want to see her." Her head was filled with the sweet, precious memories of her childhood, but the ugly truth couldn't be hid away forever behind a closed door. "But I…" It was much harder to say than she would've hoped it to be. To see what you had put so much time and effort into, suddenly vanish in the blink of an eye.  
She could feel Applejack's hand rub her shoulder. Surprisingly, it worked to calm her down a bit. "I can't pay for the theater anymore."  
The calm rubbing of Applejack's hand sadly stopped. Sweetie turned to look at the farm mare, only to be taken up in a deep hug from her. "Ah'm so sorry, Sweetie. Ah don' know what ta say."

"Say what, about what?" The untimely reentry of the bar pony took the sadness out of Sweetie. It only made way for a not so delightful feeling of anger. Sweetie absolutely hated that emotion of negativity, but Applebloom was avoiding her on purpose, and she didn't like that either. Sweetie pulled herself out of the warm hug with malicious thoughts. No, this wasn't revenge, it was only letting some other pony know how wrong their actions were in a more direct way.

"Oh, nothing. Just talking about the Summer Festival tomorrow. Important, I'm sure you know this." Sweetie's voice was hiding something behind sweetness, Applebloom could see that, like an eagle watching its prey. Bloom had no idea where Sweetie was going with this, but what could the artsy pony do to harm anypony, for that matter. "But, Applejack here had just told me something that I'm sure you're going to love."  
Applejack's eyes widened fearfully as she looked at Sweetie worriedly. "Sweetie, there was a reason Ah told ya when she was out of the room." Her voice was the direct opposite of Sweetie's.  
Bloom was quickly losing her patience. "Would somepony spill the beans already? I got things to do, so I can't stand here all night."  
"I'm sorry, how inconsiderate of me." Sweetie sweetly said. "You remember Scootaloo right? Best friend from foalhood? Cutie Mark Crusaders forever?"  
A lump clumped together in Bloom's throat at the darn name. It was something that she wanted to forget... and she had started to, too, and had been moving on with life. Bloom took a deep breath in slowly and swallowed. "Yes I remember her, why wouldn't I, and what about her?"  
Sweetie's smile grew on her face. It wasn't creepy or anything like that, it was just a smile. "I just learned from Applejack here that she is coming to Ponyville for the Summer Festival." Bloom's forehead heated up. "She is supposed to host the race though. Isn't that great? We get to be the Cutie Mark Crusaders again!" The silly mare jumped off of her stool, forcefully grabbed Bloom, pulling her along, and spun around in a circle of cheer.  
Bloom felt her world darken with that. The mayor had asked her to build a large podium for the winner of the race to stand on. Somepony who had left behind a broken promise. That had been a careless move of Scootaloo's, throwing Bloom under the wagon like that.  
She yanked her hands out of the weak grasp of the childish pony, only to regret it as she lost her darned balance and fell on her butt. That was painful itself, but snooty Sweetie just stood there, laughing at her. So much for Cutie Mark Crusaders forever, the darned unicorn with her too perfect everything couldn't help her up. She saw red anger in her eyes.

Sweetie stopped her little giggle when she saw Applebloom run out the door, and into the night. She looked back at Applejack, who glared at her with a stare to rival Fluttershy's. Guilt filled her up, as she came down from her happy high. "Too much?" She asked meekly.


	2. Chapter 2: Angry Fair

Bloom refused to pay attention to anything around her in her dash through the quiet town. She didn't shed a single tear, but the damp feeling was there anyway. It was not a weak sadness, but a weak anger that filled the mare in her escape from what she didn't even know. It just felt good to just run. Run anywhere, for all she cared. To get away from Sweetie and Scootaloo's darn arrival.  
Wait a darn minute. This had nothing to do with Sweetie Belle. No, it wasn't an anger at her, but an anger at that pony who had broken a sacred trust, and just run off at the first sign of trouble. Some friend she was! This had nothing to do with Sweetie Belle, but everything to do with Scootaloo.  
Bloom skidded to a stop on the the cobblestone street. The run had taken her to the festival grounds. Empty booths adorned the street all around her, ready for what was destined to be fun times tomorrow. Epic fun times, but that was all ruined for the mare with Scootaloo coming to charge over the race. In the empty field was the starting point of the challenge. A huge banner hung from poles above her head, reading 'Start'.  
The thought of revenge came up in her mind. Bloom had never gotten her revenge for Scootaloo breaking her promise. This would be the perfect opportunity to gain that revenge and that self-honor back, the absence of which was eating away at her soul. But what to do?

Bloom looked over at the podium that rose up from the grass. It was something that she had made herself, and she was quite proud of it: it was where the winner of the race would receive their medal. Maybe...if she had lost her honesty and trust...maybe Scootaloo could lose her pride. She was never bound to change, Scootaloo would be bound to run in the race and win. Image would be everything in those moments of victory...what if she could ruin that moment for her?  
The podium was hollow underneath, with a group of support beams that held the whole thing together. She had designed it so it was easy to take down and put back up whenever it was needed. The mare smiled, an evil grin that twisted her cheeks in all places. She was so smart. Maybe smarter than Sweetie Belle…well, maybe not that, but it was a nice thought.  
She crawled underneath the podium and pulled the first wedged-in support from its holdings. Absolute power filled Bloom. She held Scootaloo's future in her hands, and it was delicious to have it. One-by-one, the supports came out until only one was left to hold everything together. With her plan in action, Bloom took all the support beams and hid them under the nearby bleachers, where no pony would find them. Looking at the amazing plan which she had made, Bloom made her way back to the road. She was feeling so much better now that she had taken care of the problem that had been on her mind for a year. It felt great.

"Applebloom!" A far-off voice called out. Bloom had no problem figuring out whose squeaky voice that was.  
Walking confidently in that direction, she saw Sweetie slowly running towards her, breathing heavily from the running. They were only a couple blocks from the bar. The unicorn stumbled weakly in front of Bloom, choking on the heavy breaths she took. "Somepony needs to work out more."  
A long few minutes passed of Sweetie sucking on air: her trying to get her breath under control was a bit irritating, but Bloom was in too much of a good mood for the unicorn to ruin it. "I'm...sorry." She managed to cough out.  
Did she hear Sweetie Belle right? Did the fru-fru unicorn, who had never worked a hard day of her life, always talking down to others, actually apologize? This was too good of an opportunity to pass up, she had to hear it again. "I'm sorry, what was that?"  
Sweetie sucked in some more air before she repeated herself. "I said, I'm sorry. I know what Scootaloo did to you was hurtful, where you have grown up in an environment of trust and honesty. I shouldn't have made fun of you for that."  
Should she continue this? Naw, that was good enough, she wasn't sadistic. "I guess it's okay."  
Nothing else was said on their way back to her bar.

The next day couldn't have come any quicker for Applebloom, as she quickly walked through the festivities surrounded by color and laughter. It was sure a whole lot better to see the streets as they were now than last night. There was Pinkie Pie jabbering on about making pastries to some random pony Bloom had never seen before, and she felt a tiny bit sorry for him. Rarity was showing off some of her dresses, but that would've just put her to sleep to watch. Twilight was yammering on about... whatever she was talking about, sounded too much like Pinkie. Fluttershy had a whole corral filled with different animals for ponies to see. But she couldn't see Rainbow Dash anywhere.

"Hey Applebloom!" That squeaky voice shouted out to her. Darn Sweetie, why did she have to do that, and blast out her ears? "Over here!" Bloom looked and there she was...and was that a giant painting of a foot?  
"Sweetie, why is there a giant painting of a foot?" It was just too weird for something so simple to take up so much space on a canvas. It looked away too much out of place.  
"I don't know." Sweetie held up a hand with a slight shrug. "Scootaloo asked for it, so I commissioned the best painter I could find to make it. Said it was to be for the winner of the race."  
Bloom couldn't help but giggle at how stupid that sounded. "Yeah, that would make me wanna run for three miles. A medal painted gold and a painting of a foot. How rewarding."  
Sweetie gave a strained smile. "I don't know, she just asked so I pulled a few favors, and paid almost every penny I had saved up."  
"How are you gonna pay for the theater, then?"  
"That's not for you to know."  
Okay, first Sweetie was acting like a foal last night, and now she's being all mysterious...And why should she care?

"Apples! Come an' get yur fresh apples!" Who else could that be? That wasn't even a question. Bloom had to smile at her silly sister, who was just standing there shouting out those same words she'd heard since she was a foal...Yeah. Great memories of that.

"I know you might not want to, but have you gone and seen Scootaloo yet?"  
Oh Sweetie, she just never got it, Bloom shook her head, but didn't feel annoyed or angry. "I don't think I would want to right now." For such a strong mare, why did she feel hurt? The joy of last night had left her empty, and a bit of guilt filled her up. Maybe it was a bit of hope for the CMC, or something like that. "Or maybe I could?" Ahhhh, what was she to do!?  
"Well, hear me out Applebloom." Sweetie placed her hand on Bloom's shoulder. "I'm sure Scootaloo would appreciate it. When I talked to her, she seemed upset, but wouldn't tell me. She connected with you the most, so... maybe you could help her."  
Now Bloom felt utterly helpless. Scootaloo might need help from her, but she wasn't sure if she wanted to give it. That pure anger was still there, but that confusion was growing in her as well. Why, for Celestia's sake, did things have to become so hard?  
"I don't know." She refused to listen to anything that Sweetie said about that, as she slowly walked around the booths and displays.

Bloom just didn't know what to do with herself. Oh Celestia, she still felt that anger, as clear as day, but depression over how she was dealing with it was there as well. Darn that Sweetie Belle for making her think this through...or was that it? She never had thought this through, and now, in her moment of revenge, she could not do it.  
Maybe she still had time to fix this. Get to the race track and fix that podium before ponies arrived. Yes! She could fix the podium and no pony would know and she could go back to...to...Go back to just hating Scootaloo. Well, there was no need for those feelings, but...

"Hey, Applebloom!" That country twangy accent threw away Bloom's concentration. She didn't need anymore darn distractions! Applejack came up behind her. "I wanted ta talk ta ya, about what we talked about last night at the bar."  
A large crowd of ponies erupted into cheering at the field, and Bloom's jaw clenched. The race was about to start!

"Welcome Ponyville, to the "who cares" annual Summer Festival Race, and I must say, how original that name is!" Bloom could recognize that scratchy voice from anywhere. Scootaloo wasn't running in the race, she was announcing! What was she doing there? "And what a hopefully awesome race this will be, because yours truly is here to bring the epic levels up to forty percent higher. We'll be beginning in just a few, so sit back, have a coke, and have a sweet time."  
"Applebloom, Ah know that things have been different ever since ya got yer cutie mark, but I'm speakin' for Big Mac and me, saying that we both understand what yer goin' through." Gosh darn Applejack, this wasn't the time. Some other pony's gonna get on that podium.  
"Sorry Applejack!" Bloom shouted as she took off towards the race track. "I'll talk to ya later!"

She rushed to the crowded area that ran along the dirt track. Weaving between ponies, she ran as fast as her legs could take her. She had no plan, and she couldn't think of one. Scootaloo had to be around here somewhere. Not at the start line, not in the center of the track. Where was she? It wasn't until Bloom stopped and groaned in agitation that she noticed a low flying balloon floating over the track. Looking over the edge with a megaphone in hand, was Scootaloo. Woh, she sure had changed a lot, grown her hair out so it now hung to her shoulders, but that wasn't important.  
There was no way that Bloom would be able to get Scootaloo to stop the race if she was there. Maybe if she waved to her, she could get her attention.  
"And here we are fillies and colts, mares and stallions, nerds and jocks, and anypony else who I don't care to mention, to the exciting race day. All proceeds will be going to the Canterlot Foals Hospital in their epic research to fight brain diseases."  
Nope, too late for that. Oh, what was she going to do now? Bloom paced back and forth in absolute panic. She just had to go and mess everything up. Maybe what Applejack had said was true, and that when you want revenge, you dig two graves. Bloom's grave was just a bit bigger.  
"On your marks...get set...GO!" With a loud crack of a pop gun, the numbered ponies were off with leaps and bounds in their sprint down the raceway.

That sound of the start made Bloom flinch in surprise. Desperation clouded everything in her mind. She started shoving ponies aside, trying desperately to get in front of them. The racers were rounding the corner that she stood at, and as they ran past, Bloom took off running right beside them. She never looked at either the racers or the spectators. She made her dash across the track behind the racers towards the podium at the center of the track.  
But before she could make it, her feet suddenly left the ground, as arms snaked their way under her own. The world came back to her.  
"What're you doing Bloom, you could've gotten yourself hurt!" A raspy voice, similar to Scootaloo's, shouted above her, making her ears fold down at the painful volume.  
Bloom kicked her legs in an attempt to get the pony to let go, but as she looked down, she immediately stopped as the ground moved away from her. A low pressure began building in her with the height she was at. She hoped the pony didn't drop her.  
They soared above the continuing race as Scootaloo's voice echoed out. "Sorry about that everypony, the race is still on!" Oh horsefeathers. What had Applebloom gotten herself into? Guess she had only dug one grave, after all... and that grave was for herself.

Safe ground was too far away from Bloom at the height of the balloon. She reminded herself to not look down again; she didn't want to throw up. The pegasus flew her over the basket, and dropped her inside.

"Are you crazy Applebloom, you could've gotten some pony hurt! What were you thinking?" Bloom looked up where Rainbow Dash stood above her. That was all she needed… Rainbow Dash yelling at her, something about loyalty no doubt. "It's because of Scootaloo, huh?" And she's being about as soft as a sharpening belt.  
Bloom noticed a pony looking down the other edge of the basket... orange with purple hair and wings, gee, she wondered who that could be. Scootaloo... every pegasus in the world and it just had to be that snake-in-the-grass. Rainbow's 'better than you' attitude was easy to deal with by just ignoring her, but she could never ignore Scootaloo.  
"Well?" Rainbow's tapping foot crunched against the basket. Bloom had no answer to that question. Why did she do it? Now the guilt picked Bloom apart for what she had done, but why would she be guilty when nothing was wrong? Because of the guilt, Bloom couldn't deny.  
"And Mud Link has fallen behind. Come on, you can do it!" Scoots shouted and cheered. Dang, she sure did have a loud voice. Not like Sweetie Belle's, Scoot's was just loud, loud.  
Rainbow still stood over her, glaring at her like some beast. Bloom had no answer, her blank mind didn't help. She'd just tell her what she thought, not like Rainbow cared. "I was stupid, there I said it, hope you're happy, but notice no pony got hurt, did they?"  
"No pony got hurt, are you kidding me right now Applebloom!" Scoot's voice scraped Applebloom's ears, interrupting Rainbow before she responded, but Bloom saw she wouldn't have liked what the angry pegasus had to say from her squinted eyes. Scootaloo looked back over her shoulder at Bloom. "That's such an uncool thing to say. You can't ignore what might've happened."  
Scoots turned back to the megaphone. "Why don't you see what might've happened?" She meant every single word.

"Oh for the love of Celestia!" Rainbow shouted. Bloom flinched as her pained ears folded down. What's she upset about now? "Don't tell me you're still angry at her for breaking her promise?" Her words bordered on mocking. She had mocked Bloom in the past, but this time, she insulted her in front of Scoots, and she made all the difference. Scootaloo had been there when it happened, Rainbow wasn't. The promise wasn't the important thing! It is big, yes, but it wasn't the most important thing. Bloom lost trust that day. You can't have a stable friendship if friendship's built upon shaky trust. Why can't ponies understand that?  
Applebloom demanded her say in all of this, interrupting Rainbow again. "It wasn't about that dang promise, if you are a friend, you would understand that."

That hit a chord with her when Bloom saw her eyes narrow and her teeth grind together. She jumped into Bloom's face and pushed her down. Bloom felt the weaves of the basket dig into her back. Rainbow thrusted a hand at her, pressing it against Bloom's nose while her voice exploded in anger. "She doesn't deserve that, and you know it!" Her voice was cracking at the volume. "All she does is work her skinny little flank off night and day to host these charities to raise money for causes that go way beyond what you would ever hope to see!" She removed her finger and stood up straight. "She's happy to be able to host one in Ponyville, because she told me she missed all her friends so much. If I had a say in who gets such love, I wouldn't ever even consider you! All you do is whine about promise this, promise that, running in your stinking bar all day. Making Sweetie Belle into a depressed drunk every night! Yeah, I heard about it from Rarity. That's some loyalty you got there for your friends."  
Applebloom held back a sob. Rainbow was wrong! Everything she said was wrong! Bloom had to be a good friend, her sister is an Element of Harmony after all. Applejack had taught her everything. Trust is key… honesty is everything… What else? Bloom couldn't think of anything, must've been from Rainbow's yelling… but was she right? Of course not, that was a bunch of horse-apples, she knew she was a good friend. Rainbow on the other hand… "Says the one who would leave her friends in a millisecond to join the Wonderbolts." Where had that come from?

Rainbow jumped off Bloom's chest, but she still glared at her. "Did you really just say that?"  
Scoots slowly walked over to the pegasus, "Dash, please don't do anything stupid."  
"I won't Squirt." Scootaloo smiled admirably at Rainbow. "But miss… ugh, there isn't a nice word to describe what you are." She turned back to Bloom. "But I guess I need to tell you."  
The gut-tearing of guilt bucked back again. Right in Bloom's stomach. "What?"  
"I haven't told any-pony except Squirt, and don't you dare tell the others." She took a deep breath. "I turned down the Wonderbolts." The already horrible guilt became much worse. "I put my friends over the dreams I guess I never had. The Bolts weren't anything like I thought they were, but I know that I made the right choice." She turned her back to Bloom. A few sniffles came from her.

Bloom didn't understand what in the story she found so sad: there weren't any sad parts in it, but it got to her. Why? Sadly, it was pretty obvious. Maybe Rainbow was right, then she would be a horrible friend, because she never did anything like that. Did that also mean her beliefs are wrong, and Scootaloo breaking her promise was actually a good thing? Was Applejack wrong? It didn't make any sense. Applejack was honest, she said that trust is everything, and that honesty made trust. None of it made any sense… Yet it did.


	3. Chapter 3: Angry Race

A chorus of cheers roared from below. Scootaloo twisted around in a panic. Oh, curse Celestia's fat flank, she had totally forgotten about the race! She leapt to the edge of the basket, leaning out next to the megaphone to see what was going on. She couldn't tell who had won, it looked like the spectators were cheering at different racers.  
She swallowed her confidence and pressed her mouth against the mouthpiece of the megaphone. "Um, yeah, sorry about this everypony, but… um… who won?" Her voice was almost a whisper, yet the device still made it project far over the loud ponies. She heard a few ponies boo back at her, and that only made her feel a lot worse. Scoots glanced back at Rainbow Dash, looking for her help in this, when she noticed that Applebloom wasn't behind the pegasus.  
"Where'd Applebloom go!?" She cried out. Rainbow looked behind her to the empty space, but only shook her head. Scootaloo rushed to the opposite side of the basket to search for her. Only a dangling rope swinging in the slight breeze was there. She groaned irritably. "She's gone."  
"Gone?" The blue pegasus stood beside her looking down and gave a slight whistle. "Dang, she's fast." She let her grasp of the basket edge go as she looked away. "Well, I'm glad for that."

Scootaloo quickly unfurled her wings. "Come on!" She shouted. "We need to catch her before she gets too far!" She readied her body for take off.  
"Wait." Rainbow grabbed Scootaloo's arm right as she jumped. The momentum pulled Scootaloo to the side and head first into the side of the basket.  
"Ow, what the hay Rainbow Dash?" She rubbed her head.  
"Just leave her be, she needs to calm down. Anyway, let's go and see who won the race." She jumped out of the basket and dive bombed the ground only to pull up at the last second and slow down to a safe landing. She looked back up at Scoots. "Come on Squirt, you can do it!"

To Scoots, the ground looked like it was a mile away. She shuddered, because she had never landed from this height now that she had a good look. He mind flooded with thoughts of her bones snapping and crunching if her wings failed to catch the wind correctly. Scootaloo proudly fought these emotions, tooth and nail. Feeling so afraid didn't get anypony anywhere, and it was stupid still, because she would be okay. The Rainbow Dash was watching her and would keep her safe.  
"Come on! Don't make me wait too long!" Rainbow called up from below.  
Scootaloo loosened the muscles in her legs and her wings. Of course she could do it, she was Scootaloo after all, trained by the greatest flyer in all of Equestria.  
She leapt from the basket and leveled her wings parallel to the sky. She felt the cool breeze tickle through her feathers. The weight was off of her legs, now being held out behind her, as she held her arms out like Superstallion. It was the ultimate feeling of freedom already found, and as close to weightless as a pony could get. It was just like new and even more awesome than how she felt the last time she had flown… until she looked down.  
Scoot's relaxed muscles tensed up all over her body, and her breath choked her. She tumbled out of control. The gentle breezes before were now roaring like a storm in her feathers and ears. No thought graced her with what to do, all the training she had for this moment went out the window in the panic, and Scootaloo screamed with utter fear, and shut her eyes tightly. Her mangled body glowered at her for what was the stupidity of bravery. She waited to hit the ground. But it never came.  
The hollering wind just stopped whirling past her ears. Scoots didn't feel like she was falling anymore. Was she flying? Finally, she opened her eyes and… yes, the sweet and safe looking ground slowly and gently came closer and closer to her waiting hands and feet, and she, at last, touched down.

Scootaloo just wanted to lay there on the soft, itchy grass forever. She now knew that falling was very exhausting. She felt like she had ran the entire Fillidelphia Marathon in under two hours.  
"We really need to get you stop being so afraid of hights, you know that?" Scootaloo slowly lifted her head at Rainbow Dash, who looked down at her with her arms crossed, only to let it fall again.  
She heard Rainbow sigh. "What am I going to do with you? Come on, get up." The older pegasus' arms lifted Scoot's whole body up by the shoulders onto her feet, and directed her over to the watching ponies.  
"It's all good everypony. Squirt here has just been a bit stiff from the cold of Cloudsdale." Scootaloo shamefully never said a word, for she knew that the Pegasi of the crowd hadn't fallen for Rainbow's lie, but thankfully they kept quiet about it. "You're on, Squirt." Rainbow patted Scootaloo on the shoulder like a mentor to their student. Scootaloo only nodded.

Applebloom ran as fast as she could go, but even that hadn't been fast enough for her. Dodging ponies left and right, she leapt into a large bush. Was she followed? She poked her eyes out to see. The hot-air balloon still floated where it was, past a large tree. She wasn't followed. Good.  
She pulled herself out of the twistings of branches and thorns. The street towards Sweet Apple Acres was where she wanted to go now. It was getting to be mid-afternoon… maybe Big Mac was still there at the farm.

"There ya are." Applejack's voice came out of nowhere. Bloom squeaked in surprise at it. "I've been lookin' all over fer ya. I still need ta talk ta ya about last night."  
Bloom got over the small shock, and nervously said to her sister: "Um, yeah, um… could it wait a little bit AJ? I'm in a bit of a hurry to get home."  
"Well shoot that than, I'll walk with ya, I'm headin' up there now to get more apples and cider, we're sellin' 'em like pies." Applejack pulled a large cart behind her as she walked up beside Bloom.  
Bloom sighed. "I guess. I know you wouldn't've taken no for an answer."  
Applejack grinned. "Bingo."  
Bloom looked behind at the hot-air balloon floating there one last time before she and her sister walked down the road to the Apple farm. But while Applejack was relaxed, Bloom fidgeted nervously, checking over her shoulder every now and then.

The booths and shopkeepers sold their wares or entertained on the sides of the road. One booth in particular caught Bloom's eye: A "brand new, revolutionary, never seen before, unbelievable, unimpeachable" mixing glass that became a hand powered blender all-in-one. Bloom just had to stop and listen, but when she tried, Applejack shook her head and pulled her shoulder to her get her to move on. And the demonstration had been just about to begin. Oh well, Bloom could probably get it from a catalogue for probably a whole lot cheaper than what the pony was asking for from the price shown on the display board.  
Nothing else really caught Bloom's eye again: A few pieces of junk and colorful nick-nacks, like an apple clock, new knives, and even some inventive farming equipment, which Applejack was obviously interested in as well. The two mares finally made their way out of the hustle and bustle of the festival grounds and into the quieter, less populated part of town.

They passed by the library and the mercantile, and then Applejack finally stopped walking. "Ya were daydreamin' a lot and haven't said a word since last night." She pointed out, letting go of the cart's pull handle so she could hop up onto a crate. "Is there somethin' I need to know about?"  
What could Bloom say? While she knew what she wanted to say to Scootaloo, she wasn't family, and family was a whole other thing when you still live with them. But this wasn't about Scootaloo at all, it was much more important, because it was about core essential values. It went deeper than promises and trust, it was that one thing that couldn't be made without a bond of blood.  
"Sugarcube, ya don't have to be scared to tell me somethin' that's botherin' ya. I'm your big sister, how could I do anything but love ya dearly?" Applejack gave her a 'you know I'm right' look, and of course, she was right. She was honest to the teeth for Celestia's sake, how could she not be right?  
Bloom just had to let her fears go and speak her mind. She hopped up on the cart next to Applejack. She just wanted to tell her sister everything, and to hay with being scared! "I guess I'm just worried about all the changes that have been happening lately." Applejack listened intently and silently. "I can't help you guys with the farm at all anymore, with the bar open almost every day. If I can't help you with the family's problems, honestly, how can I really a part of it? I mean, really, truly, a part of it?"

Applejack sighed. "Ho boy, I don't think this here in the best place to talk about this. Let's get a move on ta the apple farm and get Big Mac in on this, cause I'll tell ya right now, we're gonna be headin' inta uncharted lands fer me." She jumped down from the cart just as quickly as she had jumped up. "Cause I might not know diddly squat about this, but I'll always be there to help my lil' sis'. We're family, and family sticks together, no matter what."  
Bloom nodded. "Thank you for listening Applejack" She hugged her sister like she was just a foal again.


End file.
